The Archbishop of Bangalore on Thursday, 17 February, released a press statement addressing the recent demolition of a 20-ft statue of Christ in Karnataka’s Kolar district, asking the state government why the demolition was hurried despite the matter being in court. The archbishop also asked if the government had pressure from fundamentalist groups to carry out such demolitions.
Archbishop Peter Machado wrote,
“Attacks on the churches across the state continue with an unabated fervour. The systematic and ill-conceived demolition drive is pursued with dogged determination by the government and its machinery.”
He added that though the church has deed documents of the two-acres of land where the statue and other structures were located, the local authorities considered them as not proper or incomplete.
“The matter is still being heard in the courts. In fact, the trial court had issued a stay order on the demolition, prior to the high court's directives. In spite of the stay order and our best efforts to help the local Tehsildar, Ms Shobitha, to understand the directives of the court, she refused to cooperate and even to share the fresh directives of the court, if any. We were not served with a written notice of the impending action which she had determined to demolish,” the press statement added.
The archbishop further asked that even if one assumes that the structures were not fully authorised, couldn’t government agencies have had the magnanimity to regularise these structures, which were in place for over 25 years.
The archbishop also asked if there are no other communities of other religions which have illegal structures on public or government properties?
“Why this discriminatory attitude towards the Christian community only? What was the tearing hurry to initiate this action? Are there pressures from fundamentalist groups who were bent on the demolition of these Christian structures? Does the government have any control over such fringe elements?” the statement asks.
The statement concluded on a pessimistic note saying, “We only fear that many more such harsh, orchestrated and insensitive attacks are sure to happen in the coming days.”
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)